Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: March 22, 2021
Contacts: Office of the Governor: Alenaa Yarmosky, Alena.Yarmosky@governor.virginia.gov | Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development: Amanda Love, Amanda.Love@dhcd.virginia.gov

Governor Northam Awards Over $6 Million in Virginia Housing Trust Fund Homeless Reduction Grants

Funding will assist 38 permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, and innovative pilot projects

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced more than $6 million in Homeless Reduction Grants through the Virginia Housing Trust Fund for 38 projects throughout the Commonwealth. The funding will advance 102 targeted efforts to reduce homelessness, which include rapid re-housing, support services for permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless, and the pre-development of permanent supportive housing projects for individuals or families experiencing recurring homelessness.

“Housing affordability continues to be a challenge nationwide, and the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us in very stark terms how too many families are at risk of losing their homes,” said Governor Northam. “As we continue to rebuild our economy, we must ensure our most vulnerable Virginians are able to recover and find stability. These grants will help add critical permanent supportive housing units to our stock and fund innovative efforts to reduce homelessness, right now as we weather this public health crisis and into the future.”

Governor Northam and the General Assembly invested an historic $55 million in the Virginia Housing Trust Fund (VHTF) this fiscal year, and the Governor’s budget proposal increases this funding to $70.7 million in the current year. VHTF provides financing for housing construction projects that create or preserve affordable housing units, reduce the cost of affordable housing, and increase homeownership. This funding is a key source of financing for affordable housing initiatives that support moderate-and-low-income families, as well as Homeless Reduction Grants to provide rapid re-housing and longer-term housing solutions for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

“The Virginia Housing Trust Fund is a critical resource in our efforts to reduce homelessness and make safe and affordable housing more readily available,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “This is an invaluable program for targeting our funds toward proven strategies to reduce homelessness and build stronger, more vibrant communities for all Virginians.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout has led to increased homelessness rates in many communities across the Commonwealth, overall homelessness in Virginia has declined 36 percent since 2010, with homelessness among families dropping by 45 percent. Homelessness among veterans has been cut in half since 2011 and in 2015, Virginia became the first state in the country to functionally end veteran homelessness. These successes have been driven by the leadership of the Governor’s Coordinating Council on Homelessness, collaboration between state and local partners, and the allocation of funding to efforts that support a systemic approach at the community level. Resources to address homelessness in Virginia are administered through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Virginia Homeless Solutions Program, which combines state and federal funds to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

In 2021, 60 percent of the funding allocated to the VHTF must be used to provide loans that reduce the costs of affordable housing. Given the additional need for immediate solutions to house individuals during the pandemic, up to 40 percent of the VHTF is being used for grants to reduce homelessness. Additional information about Virginia Housing Trust Fund Homeless Reduction Grants is available here.

The following projects will receive Homeless Reduction Grant Awards:

The Planning Council
$717,836
Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Chesapeake counties, and the cities of Norfolk and Suffolk

This innovative planning project will establish a dedicated body within the Continuum of Care to focus on understanding the impact of aging and medical fragility as it relates to homelessness.

Bridges to Independence
$619,030
Arlington County

This project will provide rental assistance for 25 households experiencing homelessness and fund three staff positions, service location costs, and associated administration costs to support the families in the rapid re-housing project.

Micah Ecumenical Ministries
$380,070
Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, and the city of Fredericksburg

This project will expand permanent supportive housing in the Fredericksburg Continuum of Care. The grant will fund two full-time housing case managers to work exclusively with people receiving permanent supportive housing and provide rental assistance for five additional units of permanent supportive housing.

Bay Aging
$300,000
Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties

This project will fund planning and innovative housing solutions for adults aged 62 and older who are currently experiencing homelessness in the Northern Neck Middle Peninsula Local Planning Group. Additionally, funding will support rapid re-housing expenses, including a housing stabilization case manager, housing stabilization financial assistance, and housing search and placement to connect older adults with permanent housing.

Shelter House
$300,000
Fairfax County, and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church

This rapid re-housing project will support 60 families experiencing homelessness. The grant will fund rental assistance and eligible activities, including security and utility deposits, last month’s rent, utility payments arrears, moving costs, and application fees.

HomeAgain
$260,000
City of Richmond

This funding will support housing search and placement, housing stabilization case management, housing stabilization financial assistance, rent arrears, and rent assistance to homeless single and older adults. The project will provide the growing population of individuals and seniors experiencing homelessness with supports to obtain and maintain permanent housing.

Samaritan House, Inc.
$263,500
City of Virginia Beach

This project will support a portion of a rapid re-housing program in service of five anticipated families who are experiencing homelessness. The grant will provide housing identification and location, housing-focused case management services, and move-in and rental financial assistance.

Homeward
$253,750
Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, and Powhatan counties, the city of Richmond, and the town of Ashland

This project will support staffing to connect older adults currently staying in a pandemic response shelter in the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care with permanent supportive housing. Funding will support policy development and a consumer support council to integrate older adults who have experienced homelessness into the program.

St. Joseph’s Villa
$253,122
Cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg

The Crater Area Coalition on Homelessness will support an expanded youth project built off of research from the Petersburg High School Pilot Program, containing three components: targeted youth outreach, youth housing solutions, and youth-driven system planning. In addition to serving 10 youth in the pilot program, this funding will also support an outreach specialist to serve 10 additional youth.

Mercy House, Inc.
$200,000
Augusta and Rockingham counties, and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro

This project will sustain and bolster an already existing successful rapid re-housing program. The funding will be used for rental assistance to help families and youth experiencing homelessness access and maintain permanent housing, as well as for staff who will provide stabilization case management and specialized housing search and placement activities.

LGBT Life Center
$191,145
Cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Suffolk

This project will support a full-time case manager to assist 10 youth households in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. Funding will also provide housing stabilization case management, housing stabilization financial assistance, rent arrears, and rental assistance.

Family Crisis Support Services Inc.
$179,623
Dickenson, Lee, Scott, and Wise counties, the cities of Norton, and the towns of Appalachia, Big Stone Gap, Clintwood, Duffield, Gate City, Jonesville, Nicklesville, Pennington Gap, Pound, St. Charles, St. Paul, Weber City, and Wise

This project will support salaries for two full-time and one part-time staff responsible for the development and management of a youth planning group, which will assess the needs of youth aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness in their continuum of care. In addition, funding will be used for rent assistance, rent arrears, and housing stabilization financial assistance to connect youth experiencing homelessness with permanent housing.

ForKids, Inc.
$171,207
Isle of Wight and Southampton counties, and the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, and Suffolk

This project will support the rapid re-housing of 45 youth parents aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness, enabling them to obtain permanent housing.

Miriam’s House
$150,000
Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell counties, the cities of Bedford and Lynchburg, and the towns of AltaVista, Amherst, Appomattox and Brookneal

The Community First project will serve 60 youth and family households experiencing homelessness within the existing re-housing project. The funding will support housing stabilization case management and a housing coordinator dedicated to assisting homeless households locate, obtain, and retain permanent housing. In addition, the grant will support housing financial stabilization assistance, rent arrears, and rental assistance.

Valley Community Services Board
$147,537
Augusta, Bath, Highland, and Rockbridge counties, the cities of Buena Vista, Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro, and the towns of Craigsville and Monterey

This project will support planning for a project targeting unaccompanied LGBTQ+ homeless youth in the Valley Local Planning Group. The grant will help house LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness and will also be used to provide trauma-informed care training to select staff to ongoing supportive services for youth.

Council of Community Services
$140,000
Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke counties, the cities of Covington, Roanoke, and Salem, and the towns of Clifton Forge, Fincastle, and Vinton

This project will provide rapid re-housing services to 36 homeless households in the Blue Ridge Continuum of Care’s service area. The grant will support housing stabilization case management, housing stabilization financial assistance, rental assistance, and administrative costs.

Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, Inc.
$125,000
Arlington County

This housing-first project will provide housing and ongoing support for 16 chronically homeless individuals and veterans who have significant barriers for housing placement and retention, including a lack of rental or poor credit history, legal issues, criminal backgrounds, poor health or chronic health conditions, mental illness, substance abuse, and little-to-no-income. The grant will support a project case manager, life skills coach, and housing locator.

Carpenter’s Shelter
$124,330
City of Alexandria

This grant will fund one full-time case manager to serve 10 chronically homeless individuals with high barriers in the Carpenter’s Shelter permanent supportive housing project.

Commonwealth Catholic Charities
$124,330
City of Richmond

This youth innovation project will support outreach services to young adults aged 18-24 experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. The grant will fund youth outreach workers who will provide case management services to connect homeless youth with housing resources as well as travel necessary to connect youth with permanent housing.

Williamsburg House of Mercy
$107,795
James City and York counties, and the city of Williamsburg

The Older Adults Returning to Stability project will connect individuals 50 years of age or older with permanent housing. Funding will provide rapid re-housing for 12 chronically homeless older adults, as well as rental assistance, rent arrears, housing stabilization financial assistance, housing stabilization case management, and administration.

Cornerstones
$100,000
Fairfax County

This project will fund housing stabilization case management and housing search placement for families and youth-headed households experiencing homelessness. Funding will support two case managers and a housing resource coordinator to connect households with permanent housing.

New Hope Housing Inc.
$100,000
Arlington County

This project will partially fund the costs of intensive case management and staff for six chronically homeless single adults in a group home. Funding will also support intensive case management in at least three scattered-site apartments. This effort will include Susan’s Place, a permanent supportive housing program for chronically homeless single adults who have serious, untreated mental illness and are resistant to treatment, and Just Home, a permanent supportive housing program for chronically homeless adults.

St. Joseph’s Villa
$100,000
City of Petersburg

This funding will support the continuation of the Petersburg Pilot Project that originated as part of the Challenged Schools Initiative and has continued in coordination with the Petersburg City and Schools Initiative. Petersburg High School and the Petersburg Department of Social Services are partners with this project.

Thomas Jefferson Coalition for the Homeless and Piedmont Housing Alliance
$100,000
City of Charlottesville

This initiative will work in conjunction with Virginia Supportive Housing to provide pre-development efforts in the repurposing of the Red Carpet Inn for permanent supportive housing.

Virginia Supportive Housing
$100,000
City of Charlottesville

Virginia Supportive Housing, in conjunction with the Thomas Jefferson Coalition for the Homeless, and the Piedmont Housing Alliance, will provide pre-development efforts in the repurposing of the Red Carpet Inn for permanent supportive housing.

Virginia Supportive Housing
$100,000
City of Virginia Beach

This project will provide housing stabilization services for formerly chronically homeless residents in the Cloverleaf and Crescent Square Apartment programs in Virginia Beach. The grant will fund two full-time staff who will deliver supportive services to 30 chronically homeless individuals at these two properties.

Virginia Supportive Housing
$100,000
City of Norfolk

This project will provide housing stabilization services for formerly chronically homeless residents in the Gosnold and Church Street Station Studios permanent supportive housing units in Norfolk. The grant will support part-time staff who will deliver supportive services to 45 chronically homeless individuals at these two properties.

St. Joseph’s Villa
$97,983
Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, and Powhatan counties, the city of Richmond, and the town of Ashland

The Flagler project will provide housing stabilization services and rent assistance for five chronically homeless individuals in need of permanent supportive housing, serving as a bridge for individuals in need of long-term housing supports to maintain permanent housing in the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care.

YWCA South Hampton Roads
$96,202
Cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk

This rapid re-housing project will provide housing stabilization and rental assistance for seven households, prioritizing youth and families between the ages of 18-24. Funding will support two part-time positions, a housing locator and housing case manager, to assist families with obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.

Micah Ecumenical Ministries
$92,700
Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, and the city of Fredericksburg

This project will expand housing location capacity in the Fredericksburg Continuum of Care and target individuals 62 years of age or older who are experiencing homelessness. The grant will support a part-time housing case manager, housing locator, rental assistance, and housing stabilization financial assistance for 10 households.

Northern Virginia Family Service
$80,000
Prince William County, the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, and the towns of Dumfries, Haymarket, Occoquan, and Quantico

This project will quickly connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness with permanent housing. The grant will provide housing search and placement services, housing stabilization case management, housing stabilization financial assistance, rental assistance, and service location costs to support the rapid re-housing program.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work
$69,666
City of Richmond

This project will develop a shared housing model using private market housing tailored to meet the needs of LGBTQ+, pregnant, and parenting youth aged 18-24. This grant will fund portions of salaries for two professors, a part-time project coordinator, a Master of Social Work intern to assist with program development and evaluation, stipends for youth involvement in focus groups, and travel to present at the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference and the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference.

Doorways for Women and Families
$63,000
Arlington County

This project aims to serve families, transition-age youth, and survivors of domestic or sexual violence experiencing homelessness. Funding will connect 29 households with permanent housing, provide rental assistance, rent arrears, housing stabilization financial assistance, housing search, and placement and housing stabilization case management.

New Hope Housing Inc.
$61,800
City of Alexandria

This project will support housing stabilization services for single adults, as well as case management services for 18 chronically homeless individuals in scattered-site apartments.

New Hope Housing Inc.
$60,000
Arlington and Fairfax counties

This project will provide stabilization services for 80 chronically homeless single adults in two apartment buildings and multiple scattered-site shared apartments. Funding will also support four case managers and three interns to provide 24/7 support and stabilization services.

Virginia Supportive Housing
$55,000
City of Portsmouth

This project will provide housing stabilization services for the 60 formerly chronically homeless residents in the South Bay Apartments permanent supportive housing program. This funding will support one full-time staff member who will deliver supportive services, as well as cover a portion of costs related to program administration.

People Incorporated of Virginia
$38,149
City of Bristol

This project will support housing stabilization services in the permanent supportive housing program for single men in Bristol, including a part-time case manager to provide on-site support for individuals in permanent housing units.

Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation
$25,540
City of Virginia Beach

This project will provide housing stabilization services to support 32 units of permanent supportive housing, including a part-time community resource specialist to assist chronically homeless veterans in the Cedar Grove community obtain and maintain permanent housing.

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